The End Of All Things
by TieDyeJackson
Summary: What happens when patience runs out? Scott is about to find out and what happens shakes the team to the core and changes everything.Remember reviews are my life blood :D New Chapter April 05 2013
1. The End Of All Things

It was kind of ironic, he thought bitterly. Today they had been dating for seven years and she was getting her seven year itch scratched on a locker room bench by Logan .

He flashed back;

Their friendship through high school and how in it's last year it became so much more. They had professed their "undying" love for one another and had been inseparable ever since. They were a unit and were engaged on their two year anniversary right in the middle of university . Both knew that they would return to the mansion. Jean as a scientist and He as a teacher . They grew up in that musty old place and would spend the rest of their lives paying back Charles for everything he afforded them.

They had come back and everything had seemed great. The only thing that had irked him was Logan. He was like a grumpy uncle when they were younger but since they had come back Scott noticed his gaze linger on Jean a little too much . Jean laughed it off as nothing more than jealousy and an overactive imagination. He, of course, conceded to her , as he always did and paid no heed.

He had left just a few days ago to travel to Genosha for a peace summit with Magneto. He insisted that he accompany Charles despite his protests that everything would be fine; Charles was too trusting and besides that fact , Scott loved him like a father. Thankfully, everything went according to plan and the alliance, as it had existed since defeating Apocalypse, was now as strong as ever. Everything was wrapped up early and Scott was delighted it had . He could make it back in enough time for an anniversary dinner.

And with that thought he was back in the present, watching Logan ravage his love as she panted with unbridled lust.

A headache pounded through his entire head. He rubbed his temples as he tried to figure out why ? He never spoke out of line, never questioned what was asked of him , was always pleasant to everyone and always ALWAYS turned the other cheek ? He went through his entire life never saying boo, always doing the right thing and this is how the world repaid him ? He stopped massaging his temples and his finger tips dropped to his visor and at that moment every modicum of self control he had ever had evaporated.

He could barely contain the bile as he growled " HEY … LOGAN" at the top of his lungs and let a full blast punch into his chest as he looked up, sending him crashing through three rows of lockers and halfway into the concrete wall. He was on autopilot as he ran past a screeching crying Jean as he grabbed a half dead Logan by the throat and started unloading fists into his face . Every bit of anger that he had bottled up, from stubbing his toe to spilling his coffee to finding his sweet innocent Jean getting plowed , went into each and every punch . He couldn't cave his skull in but kept on going until he fell his knuckles cracking against adimantium covered in a fine layer of gore. He was barely coherent as Hank grabbed him in a full nelson and pulled him off Logan.

When he finally came to his senses the locker room was filled with people. They didn't need any direction on what happened here . Naked Jean , naked near death Wolverine and a blood-soaked pissed off Cyclops painted its own very blatant picture. He didn't acknowledge anyone in the room except Jean now. She was crying and begging forgiveness. He wadded up all the feeling he had ever had for her and it flew, with the big gob of bloody mucus he pulled from his throat, straight into her shocked face. He walked towards his room. All he needed now was a shower to wash off the last seven years.


	2. Long Hard Road Outta Hell

That stinging spray of boiling hot water hitting his slumped shoulders was almost enough to make Scott forget about his day. It was peace for that split second and then the water travelled from those shoulders down his arms and then sliced into his knuckles. It made him snap out of his stupor. He looked at the knuckles and saw the extent of the damage. All of them were split wide open and most likely one or two of them were broken. He watched the water mix with the crimson blood as it diluted it and little pink lines cascaded down his wrists, then to the floor and out the drain. Blood brought on by a metal skull, lust and betrayal.

He was thankful for being in his own shower as the words bubbled forth from his throat with such ferocity that it made him almost instantly hoarse. "stupid fucking worthless whore" he screamed in agony as he broke some shower tile with his already shattered fists. " I gave you everything I goddamn could; loved you with every fiber of my being and every breath I took; I was nothing but perfect in every way, not a t uncrossed or an i undotted and you do this to me you MISERABLE BITCH !". He collapsed as the heat of the shower finally seeped into every bone . He lay of the floor sobbing to himself, thankful again that he was in his own shower, with only one question on his mind . "Why wasn't I good enough?". The sobs just weren't for Jean anymore they were for his parents, his foster parents, his orphanage, Charles, his teammates and himself. He tried so hard at everything he did but always felt like he had fallen short, always.

The pain, like the thought, eventually receded into the back of his mind but he knew it was still there taunting him. He needed to talk to Charles, he needed his advise but more to point , he knew there would be repercussions for the way he had behave . He was ready to take his punishment as he knew it was deserved . He was the leader of the X-Men and was therefore held to a higher standard of behaviour by Charles. He loved how hard Charles was on him because he knew the more Charles pushed the more Charles cared. Charles had brought him as the first of his team and had become his ward but somewhere along the way his dream became Scott's and the ward became a father. Though Xavier was never a man to outwardly show emotion, Scott saw the pride the day he graduated high school and then university . He had seen the sense of love in the old man's eyes as he taught his first class to the younger mutants at the institute. Even if he was asked to step down as leader, he would do so with his head held high because no matter what happened, Charles would be his rock.

He finally emerged from the shower , removed his goggles and replaced them with his ever-present glasses and wrapped himself in his towel. He made his way to his dresser and looked down at his colour coded and neatly folded socks . Just like everything in his dresser and closet they defined the word neat and tidy. At this current moment, he loathed neat and tidy . He hated how every little thing in his world fit into these nice and neat boxes. His life had as much spontaneity as a night of folding laundry and doing taxes. He laughed bitterly and then closed the drawer. He flopped down in his reading chair as he continued to laugh at himself and the absurdity of the day. His entire life called into question because the love of his life was bouncing on Logan's dick. His whole persona ripped to shreds by a quickie in the locker room. His laughed started on his lips and travelled down his throat until it rested in its belly, he held his sides as he doubled over. He didn't know if he was having a break down or just so overcome with shit he couldn't help but see the humour. Right now he didn't care because it felt like such a relief.

He was too busy to see her enter the room . She had knocked but had only heard laughter from inside. She tried the door and it was unlocked so Rogue entered and looked around the entryway to the room and then made her way around the corner to see Cyclops sitting there , his knuckles cracked and dripping blood, leaning back in his chair laughing his head off with tears streaming down his cheeks.

She rushed to his side and grabbed a hold of his hands shocking him out of his laughing fit. "Dang Sugar, you did a number on your hands!" She shook her head and clipped him upside the head as she went into the bathroom and grabbing the first aid kit. She sighed and shook her head as she was stopped on her return to the bedroom by the sight of the bloody broken shower. " You gone plum crazy you stupid bastard , tearing up the shower like that ?" she ranted as she started to pour the iodine into the wounds " And you better not think of hitting me cause I'm fixing what your fool ass caused !" she grinned up at him. She felt the heat of his hands through her gloves and gripped a little bit harder . Distracted or not , when she touched him , no matter how she did it , she never once ever felt him flinch. Even when she had toyed with the idea of dating Gambit , no matter how much he professed he loved her , there was always that little slight jerk that made her realize she was different and kept at arms length . Scott knew what it was like to live without control over your own power and he made the effort ever since she knew him to make sure she knew that she was just as normal as every one else.

She finished bandaging her hand as he sat their stoically and revealed nothing from behind that visor , his mouth a contemplating line. She knew him though, better that he knew himself sometimes , thanks to that little power of hers during their little life or death situation with Mystique all those years ago. He was torn completely up inside. "Hey there Captain Smiles I hear you had a shitty day" she pushed his shoulder jokingly trying to get a reaction , any reaction at all. " I should have paid attention to that punk girl in high school who warned me about little miss perfect being such a cunt" he smirked and Rogue became that shy little girl again for a second as she blushed.

"Have you come to bask in the marvellous storm that is my life, Rogue?" Scott asked as she eyes and tested the bandages to make sure her wrappings were sound. " I've come to hopefully be the sunshine poking through the clouds" She said as she held up two bracers.

"Trying to improve my life through fashion"

"What if I told you that these were the answers to all your problems ?"

"I'd say wheres the capsules of cyanide hidden."

"I'm serious Scott, maybe not the answer to all the problems but at least the one big one ?"

" OK OK There is nothing that I wouldn't do for a Klondike bar"

"It's the possible cure. A way of controlling our powers."

"Are you shitting me ?"

"No"

"Then why are we not wearing them right now"

"There are risks"

"So"

"I'm talking serious shit here, Scott. Forge and Cypher are pretty much trying to hack the human

nervous system. They have said its pretty much a fifty fifty shot and if it doesn't work it could either do nothing, seriously fuck us up or even kill us"

"I'll do it."

"For fuck sakes, Scott. Really consider this. You could die !"

"I just saw the person who I thought I was supposed to send the rest of my life with bouncing off the lap of a man I detest. I then proceeded to then abandon everything I have ever taught , lost my entire sense of self and almost beat the man to death . And I've probably lost the team . Now tell me what the FUCK I have to loose by goddamn dying. I HAVE NOTHING." Scott shouted through his own rage, spittle flying with every syllable.

" ME" she screamed right back tears filling her eyes; "Me, you ignorant prick . You've had me from the moment I ever laid eyes on you . You had ever single bit of my heart from the moment we met ! And when we were running from Mystique and I had to take a piece of you into me, Scott, some goddamn way you made me love you more . It took away all the bullshit of Cyclops , mister straight cut leader man and it showed me the scared little boy that lost his parents and just craved someone who loved him for him , and I loved you more for it, you bastard . I wanted to take that little boy in my arms and hold him and prove to him that he was worth holding until our dying days ! What you have Scott is this lady in front of you who has waited almost ten years with no one else in her heart because she would rather die alone then without a love so pure it scares her half to death. What you have is a girl who would risk her own life with some goddamn killer bracelet just for the chance to feel the warmth of your face against her palm . What you have, Scott Summers, is ME. Heart and body and soul for as long as I live and for an eternity after"

He couldn't see through his own tears. He couldn't speak because the lump in his throat the size of Texas. He couldn't breathe. He was totally taken off guard and could do nothing but look at her. He was amazed by her strength . She stood their shaking and shuddering and he didn't know if it was from fear or relief. Her torrent of pent up emotion washed over him like an ice water wake up call and now nothing else existed in the world besides he and her.

Without a word , staring deep into her eyes he grabbed the bracer from her left hand and closed it over his right wrist . As it snapped into place she gasped and he felt a million little needles piercing his skin and what felt like an adrenaline rush seep through every pore in his body . Five minutes they stood just looking at each other when he was finally able to move again . There was no hesitation on his part as he removed her glove and pushed up her sleeve even if her powers did course through him for a second or two. Nor was their hesitation on her part as he clamped the second bracer down on her right wrist and it gave her all the same feeling that it had for him.

She reached for his glasses as he reached for her cheek.

His monochromatic world exploded into a pallet of colour and he was taken back and almost blinded . He drank in every colour as his eyes danced across her beautiful brown hair, her dizying white streaks, her emerald eyes and subtle pink lips . He stroked his finger across those same lips and she squeeked , waiting for the pull that didn't come.

His hands went to her shoulders and down to the zipper on her first layer of clothing. He gently pulled it open and slipped it off her shoulders never breaking eye contact. Slowly stripping away everything from her nervous and waiting flesh until nothing remained and then he loosened his towel and let it drop to the floor. She groaned with baited breath as he took the time to look and then graze his fingertips over every single quarter inch of her flesh for what seemed like an eternity until she felt she couldn't take it anymore. Every last nerve in her body was dancing with pleasure as he finally returned his eyes to hers.

She was so lost in this moment, this shining moment of sheer perfection in her long hard life, that she couldn't help but doubt herself "You can call me Jean if you want" and she drooped her head.

He let his finger draw down her jawline and lifted her chin so she was eye to eye with him again as he shook his head and smirked at her; " I see no one but my Rogue"

"Marie" She said timidly

"What?"

"My name ..." she said returning his gaze once again and getting lost in his eyes "My real name is Marie"

"My Marie" He said as he lowered her onto the bed and started kissing his way down her neck.

"My Marie" he said as he kissed across the swell of her breast.

"My Marie" he whispered as he kissed a trail on her stomach.

... And the rest of the world just melted away.


	3. A New Direction

He looked across the table at her and couldn't help but smile . They had spent the entire afternoon, evening and night entwined. Partly trying to make up for all the years of lovemaking they had missed out on and partly to stave off the real world and it's ugly problems as long as humanly possible.

He felt at ease around her, an ease he had never felt before in his life. Nothing was expected of him, she just enjoyed being with him . He didn't have to be Cyclops or Mr Summers, He was simply Scott, the boy she knew in high school who loved to drive his red convertible with the music blaring and not a care in the world. She brought out the best in him, a fact that he had been oblivious to for way too long.

This morning he ranted as she laid by his side , gently stroking his chest . All his fears and insecurities and anger poured into a very sympathetic ear. She did not say anything at all , just nodded and watched him lovingly . Of course , she had heard it all before , she had a perfect copy of his mind in her own but she knew that this was therapeutic for him. After he was done she had simply caressed his cheek and went to his closet. She pulled one of his t-shirts off the rack and threw it at him . He looked at her inquisitively as she grabbed another and did the same thing , and another and another. He grinned as he leapt from the bed. He flung open his sock drawer and launched bundle after bundle of perfectly folded socks in her direction . They continued throwing clothes at each other laughing like giddy children until his entire room was anarchy . Clothes strewn about , not a single one left in place or ironed or folded with anal precision. He felt as free as he ever could be as he smashed his lips to hers quickly and pulled her out of the room.

The real world could wait a little longer he thought as they sipped coffees by the Eiffel Tower in Paris . Or at least the Danger Rooms version of it. Leave it to Hank to have a programed a getaway complete with the Louvre and La Boheme. He made a mental note of how happy Marie was to be here and that someday he would want to take her to the real thing. The power bracers opened up a whole new world of normal for both of them that he had never thought possible and he was sure as hell going to embrace it.

* * *

Charles Xavier sighed a contented sigh as he watched them across the simulated cafe. He was astonished when he first came into the Danger Room. Scott would have normally pegged him out in a crowd of a thousand, yet here he was totally oblivious. Charles watched them both and it dawned on him. Whether it be the bracers or the lady that sat across from him, his son was finally at peace. Sure, Scott was an excellent team leader and he had plenty of moments through his life but this was the first time he had seen no tension in the young mans face. He resisted the urge to scan his mind as he had promised himself long ago he would not scan anyone without their knowledge unless circumstances were dire.

Charles felt a stone in his gut as to what had happened the day before. He knew that Scott knew there would have to be consequences to his actions and he secretly loathed that he would have to do it. He could see Scott's point of view, he had been betrayed by the girl he had loved for all those years . Charles was disgusted at both the behavior of Jean and of Logan but Scott had attacked Logan blindly and maliciously and to not have him suffer the repercussions of those actions would be a betrayal to the school and his beliefs as well. With a heavy heart he had went over his options last night deep into the night and then made the phone call. The phone call that would take his Son away and hopefully make him a better man for it. He was so consumed in his own thought , he had almost missed the other mind now flowing through the fake crowds . He felt the anger pierce his mind like an arrow and screamed out in his mind "Scott !" a split second before the anger had pounced.

* * *

Scott felt relief as much as he felt the pain right now . If Charles hadn't had warned him at the most crucial moment The adimantium claws now embedded in his shoulder would have run his carotid artery clean through and he would have died within seconds . Now all he was left with was the screeching pain and the stinking of breath and spittle of Logan who leaned on top of his prone chest. He seemed frozen by rage as Scott's vision finally cleared and he saw a distraught and confused Jean standing off to the side.

Jean had rushed after Wolverine as he woke up in the infirmary. She knew he had only one focus and that was to kill Scott . She knew she had to stop him because it was her fault all of this had happened , Her weakness and lust. She loved Scott more that words could ever convey and didn't know what had come over . She had let Logan fuck her and barely even thought of Scott until he had caught them on the last night. She had finally realized what a horrible thing she had done when Scott had spit in her face . She felt horrible and beyond forgiveness as she watched Logan imbed his claws into Scott. Finally she saw Rogue and reached out with her mind in confusion. Slowly the remorse left her face and was replaced with stone cold rage.

Marie was frozen in place. She had jumped up when Logan had descended on Scott but now felt as if her entire body was encased in cement. Her eyes flew back and forth as her body cried out in muted agony as she finally made eye contact with the cause of her immobility. She saw the accusing look in jean's eyes and felt her peeling back the layers of her own memory. Her mind flooded with the argument and passion that had ensued the night before , remembering every intricate detail of Scott and her and the flood of feeling that had followed. As the passion raised so did the pain of the mental intrusion until Marie's mind screamed out in surrender.

Charles was taken back by the violent insertion of Wolverine into this quaint picture . He had felt his ferocity and had thankfully warned Scott with enough time to save his life . He tried to stop Wolverine but his feral mind was so full of rage that Charles strongest commands were not comprehended . Wolverine was running on pure unadulterated hate. Charles was brought out of this by Rogue's mental scream. Jean was ripping her apart mentally. He knocked her out with a forceful telepathic punch that dropped her to the ground just as he caught Wolverine out of the corner of his eye being thrown invisibly against the wall as his claws bent towards his frame.

A little part of Erik smiled as he pulled the feral beast known as Wolverine off Cyclops prone form. If this had been almost a decade ago he would have relished this scene. The mighty X-Men who had defeated him again and again falling apart at the seams without Magneto even having to life a finger . But now they were allies and it caused a flicker of anger in his heart. They were mutants and they were to get along . Even though he had made peace with Charles somewhere in the back of his mind Magneto still knew a war would be coming and knew that as long as the mutants stuck together , that they would win. He gritted his teeth as a bit of the villain pulled its way to the surface and he contemplated separating Wolverine from skeleton, killing him would relieve his anger and be of the greatest of ease but then he thought of the treaty and his friendship with Charles and instead spoke through gritted teeth.

" You will put your toys away you dumb beast ! No harm will come to this child of the atom! Not while Magneto has a purpose for him !"


	4. The Eve Of Forever

**A/N – Sorry about the delay but life seemed to get in the way these last few weeks. I missed writing a heck of a lot and am very glad to give you this chapter. As always reviews are my lifeblood.**

Rogue grabbed her throat as the air rushed almost painfully back into her lungs. She saw Jean crumble to the ground just seconds before and as she collapsed she caught Charles out of the corner of her eye faint and she knew that he was to thank for stopping Jean's hate-filled onslaught. She could see Magneto holding his hand up to an almost crucified and raging Wolverine and then her eyes landed on Scott who was spitting blood and raising himself off the ground with his unbloodied arm. She wanted to call out to him but words could not form due to what felt like a broken throat filled with broken glass and fire.

Magneto could see the flame in young Summers' eyes. He could see the rage flowing out of him as if it were smoke and it made him recollect him at a young age. A few years in a concentration camp lead to a lifetime of hate . So blinded by anger that he had almost single-handedly become what he had hated most , a tyrant obsessed with wiping out what he thought of as an inferior race. It took the hard hand of Charles and his young charges to finally make him see the light and understand that he should be about preserving mutantkind not exterminating mankind. None the less he wanted to test the boy . He was filled in by Charles as to what had transpired and saw the look of pure death that Scott now exuded towards Wolverine. Scott looked as though he would end him when his hand raised to the side of his red glasses and Magneto could see the cogs in the boys mind consider all the options before he wisely lowered his hands . At that moment, Magneto knew without a doubt he had made the right decision with Charles last night.

Charles came to and he was fuming mad . If not for years of the best boarding schools and the thousands of hours logged in proper etiquette and manners he would have surely made them both die a thousand psychic deaths . "Erik, let him down please" Charles softly stated "Right beside Ms. Grey". He wheeled himself between the both of them and the others as Jean awoke and Logan touched down. " I wish you to leave" he stated simply " You are no longer welcome in my home, this school or on the team" he let out a slight breath of air as he continued "Logan you have brought shame not only to yourself but to me personally and Jean your behavior is inexcusable, thoughtless and selfish. I wash my hands of both of you . Now leave this room , gather your things and go . Take all the time you need but do not darken my door again". Wolverine's face , which was filled with such anger, now melted into a mask of shame. He simply shook his head without looking at Charles and walked out of the room with a weeping Jean.

Charles then turned to a very battle worn Scott and Marie. Scott could see that what he had just done had pained him to no end. Logan was one of Charles oldest friends and Jean , well, even if Scott were Charles' son , Jean had always been like a daughter and Charles thought the sun rose and set on that girls shoulders. Scott wouldn't have spared a drop of spit now if they were both on fire but he would have gladly stomached the two to spare the hurt that was now in his father's eyes. "Scott, you know what I have to do" Charles said as he came back from his thoughts to look at him. " You don't have to do anything sir . I acted rashly and need to pay for my actions. Therefore sir, I resign from my post in the X-Men". Charles eyes started to water as Scott took off his communicator and handed it to him. He had resigned rather than force the old man to strip him of it. He knew Charles couldn't take anymore and wanted to spare him any further pain.

What surprised them both was Marie placing her communicator on top of Scott's , as her hand left the communicator her hand grabbed his and their fingers entwined. " I love you Professor and you've been more family to me than my own family has ever been but ..." She glanced at Scott's surprised face " I've got to follow my heart, wherever he leads me".

Charles nodded in the affirmative as he looked down at the two X's resting in his hand . He remembers the children he put them on and raises his head to look proudly at the man and woman they came off of , mature beyond their years. His grin belies the pride now gushing silently into every fiber of his being. "And that brings me to my next subject , as you now are in need of a new direction, Erik and I have both been talking late into the night ..."

His words are interrupted by Beast's voice shakily coming through the PA system in the room "Charles" They all look towards the control room to see his somber face "I think you need to see this"

A holographic screen shook and shimmered above all their heads as BBC News channel tuned in …

"If you are just tuning in to repeat the breaking news , devastation has hit the small isle of Genosha , a mutant sanctuary off the east coast of Africa. Little is known at this time but we are getting crews out their now but according to early reports it looks as though an army of robots known as Sentinels have laid waste ..."

The screen disappeared as the metal in the room seemed to shudder as Magneto fell to his knees and they all wept for the thousands of dead.

* * *

ONE YEAR LATER

"So it is the findings of this committee that have found that the sentinels and the attack of Genosha were the works of Bolivar Trask working alone. Mr Trask has since committed suicide so this committee considers the matter closed"

Scott Summers knew that every eye in the courtroom was now on his group. He simply stood up , adjusted his jacket and tie and the walked out of the courtroom and through the hallways to the main doors and the stone steps in the front of the building to the press pedestal that was set up for all the news outlets awaiting the committees findings. He waited for the committee representative to complete his speech. He approached to podium and swallowed hard. Marie squeezed his side by the podium trying to give him some extra strength as he looked over at Lorna, she nodded and he turned back to the crowd and began:

"My name is Scott Summers and I am a mutant. I am the leader of the mutant movement. To all the viewers at home I would like to apologize as my associate. Mr Forge is now making this feed available on every TV, radio and computer in the world with subtitles in every known language." Scott raises a thick file folder as he looks straight into the camera " This folder in my hand is our own investigation into the Genosha Massacre and I wish to share it with you all. This was not the work of Bolivar Trask as this committee would have you believe. In my hand there is a copy of bill 142 known as the Hero Registration Act formerly known as the Mutant Registration Act. Subsection A-17 reads as though it were a blueprint of what happened . Sentinels created by Mr. Trask and modified by Tony Stark at the request of the United States Government and The United Nations" .

He drops the report on the podium and the sound echos through the crowd before everything erupts in a frenzy and then he continues.

" Therefore I would like to announce the formation of The Mutant Nation Of Utopia. Off the west coast of South America " He could hear the outrage from the crowd but he had a clear point to get across. " We will be a sovereign nation and therefore we shall govern ourselves." He took a sip of water after he coughed slightly " We tried to be heroes and you feared and hated us. We stood the dirty looks and insults and bigotry to save you time and time again and every time you slapped us we turned the other cheek and still saved you. With this genocide we ran out of cheeks and leave you to your own devices"

He could barely breathe as he turned and walked to the waiting car.


	5. The Lost Year

**A/N – This was one of my favorite chapters to write in this story. **

**I know it is kind of grandiose but if you really want to argue semantics about anything not plausible in this story please remember that this is based in two different types of universes. The cartoon one in which a coyote can fall down a cliff followed by a boulder and suffer no ill affects and the x-men one where Jean Grey has died and been resurrected over 14 times in 30 years ! So please suspend your disbelief for at least one chapter of fan fiction K :D**

**That being said I hope you enjoy it and feedback and comments are much appreciated. Wondering if I should continue this story because that last paragraph made me feel a happy closure but no enough to make up my own mind lol**

* * *

Scott Summers was their golden boy now. He was the face of the movement, the leader of the new empire just because a camera had caught him in the worst moment of his life.

The ball that would never stop had started rolling without their knowledge a split second after that news report had flickered on their screen. Scott stood there and watched as the two strongest people he had ever known in his life held each other and wept. All he could do was stand their in mute silence as Marie shook, racked with sobs that seemed to flow out with no end. BBC news had spent the entire day reporting on the story as it developed , CNN had a five minute blurb in between their gossip file and video about a tap dancing iguana that just went viral.

As soon as the doors of the danger room opened and the students began flooding in , Magneto took his leave quickly to rush to his nation's aid and Charles only betrayal was the sadness in his eyes as he put on the strong front for all those except Scott and Marie. Charles knew that he couldn't lie to them and he didn't want to, he would need them more now than ever to anchor him and keep him from being swept up in the emotional pain that flooded from every mutant mind without prying , a flood that threatened to consume him whole.

It seemed like every mutant in the world had come yo Genosha. They worked for weeks, trying to clear rubble and search for survivors. They had numbered just a few dozen out of two million. There were no villains or heroes, just proud mutants trying to make sense of the loss of almost half their population. Blood enemies as well as best friends working side by side with rocks in their guts and tears in their eyes. At the end Magneto had decided that it would be too much to bury the dead and without objection turned the whole nation into a funeral pyre.

Charles and Erik knew that they had to quell the anger so as soon as they got back to American soil their train never stopped. Whether it was a TV interview in Paris or a demonstration down in the Bronx, they were the leaders of the mutant movement and they were there. They were champions of the cause as they fought for human rights and tried to make sense of and pushed for the investigation of what went on in Genosha. It was the two month anniversary when they stepped up to the podium in Dallas.

Scott can remember things in flashes. He can remember the deafening roar of the crowds, he can remember them raising their held hands together in unity, He can remember looking into the happy eyes of Charles as he turned to look for a moment at him. He remembers the two distinct pops he heard echo out a splits second before they fell and he remembers that god damn picture in black and white holding the two strongest men he ever knew covered in their blood and his tears.

They came to him after the funeral. He had barely had time to think as Reed Richards, T'Challa, Beast and Hank Pym approached him. All had a fear and disgust in their eyes that had made Scott want to vomit.

All Scott could taste was the bile that kept on coming up in burst . Even when he felt like he was done what he had just learned would again surge to the surface and his throat would burn again. He had remained stoic in front of them. He was in almost a dream-like state as they went over what was in the folder as he held onto Lorna, screaming in pain and anger into his chest. He could feel Marie's hand as it clasped and held onto his shoulder. Beast had taken a hold of Lorna as he excused himself for a moment and Marie had followed. She rubbed his back and didn't say a word as he heaved over the toilet bowl lost in his own thoughts.

Rome wasn't built in a day but the Nation of Utopia was built in a month. A lot can be done when you have unlimited resources and near unlimited funds. Lorna was Erik's only surviving heir and Scott had inherited Charles' vast fortunes and they threw everything they had into Utopia. The only other people that were in the room that day had stayed on to see this through to the end with the exception of T'Challa, he had his own nation to run but pledged that Wakanda would be by their side for whatever was needed . It was T'Challa who had taken Scott into his home and taught the protocols too. They had deemed that they needed a strong figurehead and that he would be king of the new nation. Scott had only agreed after much argument and on condition that they remain his council.

The mansion was the only thing that moved onto the island. Brick by brick and beam by beam it was transferred under stealth and secrecy. He convinced Lorna, Reed and Hank to all move in along with their families as he knew that he couldn't face the house alone , even with Marie at his side. They built up what was going to be the capital city with government building , commercial and industrial areas and barracks for the refugees. Raw building materials were stockpiled as was food. Every eventuality or thought avenue that crossed the minds of the little group was accounted for though they all knew that a few wrenches were sure to be thrown in the thick of things.

It was almost a year to the day that the so called Truth commission had broadcast their report. They took the greatest of care to make sure that no one outside the room on the day of Charles and Erik's funeral had known what was going on with the exception of Forge. Hell, half the stuff they didn't couldn't have been possible without him. A lot of lies and half truths had plagued them in the last ten months so the press conference today was both a relief and a gnawing fear. Scott had said the announcement and was whisked away shortly after. Hank McCoy took over the podium and fielded questions for two hours . Every single man, woman, and child glued to their TVs as the world changed in front of them.

It was broadcast for days on every major news channel. It made him all the more angry and all the more resolute . They had spent maybe an hour reporting on everything Genosha throughout the whole year including his mentors death and THIS was what got them to wall to wall broadcasting. The Mutant Menace abandoning The Homeland. He chuckled at their idiocy. The slanted and hateful views that drove him to this decision now festering to the surface for all to see. The opponents to the "popular views" being labeled as hate mongers. No reply from the President, the UN remaining tight lipped as well. Tony Stark had cried asylum and was now covered by teams of secret service agents and what seemed like half the US Army. Even those who seemed to deny it could deny it no longer as Steve Rogers laid his uniform and shield in front of the White House. Captain America was no more …

They made sure that the olive branch was still there no matter what. Immigration was completely voluntary and anyone super powered was welcome. Any nation was given the option of transferring any existing super powered prisoners for their fully mandated sentence to Utopia. World safety was assured from any threat and policing of any super powered being whether at home or abroad was promised. They made sure on the worldwide stage that they were not cast as the architects of a new world order.

The borders were open and millions came flooding through. In search of a new life hopefully free from the hatred that had plagued most for all of their lives . The first thing that greeted them as they ventured into this brave new world was a statue of two of the greatest men to have ever lived and died, holding hands raised high in unity and looking down at their finally united children.


	6. Building A Nation

**Sorry for my lateness all . Life got in the way and am busy looking for a job in a market that is not friendly to the unemployed. Needed a pick me up that only writing can give me so hope you enjoy and as alwayss please reviewed, it is much appreciated.**

Rogue was sitting in the bathroom and couldn't help but sigh.

What was only a year felt like twenty to her and she didn't even want to know how much it had aged Scott. He was such a strong man but no matter how much he had prepared, nothing could have prepared them for what had happened after he had made the announcement. The following day they opened their borders and over six million people flooded in . Heroes and villains , mutants and meta-humans , friends and family clogged up their shores . And suddenly a man who was used to leading six people was now responsible for six million . Thank God they had so much extra space.

Months and months of planning sprung into action and slowly but surely territories were formed, homes were built and people were settled. Worthington Industries, Frost Enterprises, Fantastic Four Inc. and a dozen more corporations opened up shop in Utopia with thousands of jobs created. Government farms were created and Green initiatives were introduced.

A Reed Richards/Hank Pym/Forge Think Tank caused a technology boom that no one had thought possible. Pollution free cars filled the streets. Eco-friendly manufacturing was standard and anything that could not be recycled was disposed of by an interstellar refuse system , Forge's fancy way of saying he dropped it in the sun. On the world stage they were the equivalent of the little engine that could. They could be completely self-sustaining but encouraged free trade on a global scale.

On top of being their press man, Hank McCoy was also the ambassador to the United Nations. She barely saw her old friend anymore but when she did, she knew that Hank reveled in his fast paced and demanding role. There wasn't a reporter or a politician who he hadn't charmed. The sparkle in his eye had returned when she thought it had been lost with Genosha.

Cyclops had insisted they make Steve Rogers part of the inner circle. They had pulled him out of the bottom of a bottle and it didn't seem they would ever be able to get him to recover . Scott wouldn't hear of it and spent every moment he could with Steve , good days and bad . And on the days Steve would stumble , Scott was at his side to give him a hand . She fell in love with Scott even more then she already had. A lot of people had balked at the idea of making Steve head of the New Defenders program but Scott insisted after he had gotten Steve back on his feet . All that potential just needed to be channeled and within eight months he had taken every last one of the volunteers, found teams that complimented not only powers and personalities and had them running all smoothly as a Swiss watch. Steve himself did not want any praise , he had had his moment in the sun and was now all about this next generation of heroes but you could ask every last one of them and they would all gladly jump through fire for Steve Rogers. They were the super powered S.H.I.E.L.D. And wherever there was trouble they were always there to help, whether it be a mutant who didn't like the new way of thinking or disaster relief.

A lot of the older heroes retired. They had paid their dues and looked at Utopia as a way to settle down . There were legions of young mutants lining up to join the New Defenders and a lot of nations were taking advantage of the Think Tanks future-tech so the world as a whole was feeling pretty safe and they took it as their cue to fade into the background. Peter Parker and Bruce Banner made two awesome science teachers and you thought twice about misbehaving with an invisible principal. Who needs a whole crew when you got Grimm,Rasputin & Marko Construction working on your building or Wilson & LeBeau Demolition to bring it down. Everyone had found their own little niche in the everyday world and on the domestic front, Utopia was it's namesake.

As far as Scott and herself went, that was where the aging had came into play . Marie had always thought the life of royalty was so fun and fancy free looking at it in the magazine. Living it was another thing entirely. Scott was a very private man but that had to change quickly when your life is pretty much banquets and photo opportunities. Utopia was a "Nation Of The World" so they had pretty much lived on the plane. Luckily, even though they sometimes detested it, they became beloved on the world stage. Everyone wanted a photo with them, everyone wanted them at their party and it was exhausting. Plus they had to deal with the scandal of the week from Alex and Lorna's worldwide exploits. The young kids had found each other and poor Cyclops was the one to suffer from it. Drunken shenanigans and destroyed hotel rooms became normal fodder for the press.

They had long ago taken off the bracelets in public . They had both thought long and hard on it and decided if they were to be the leaders of a Mutant Nation that they would show their pride it their powers. They were instantly recognizable by his ruby-quartz sunglasses and her ever present opera gloves. At night they still put on the bracelets because Scott said he could never sleep without her in his arms.

It had happened in Wakanda. T'Challa and Ororo had invited them out to enjoy the jungle and have a hunt . No photos or journalists, just the great outdoors. It was almost magical, walking at night with Scott, they sky so clear and so lit up with stars they almost didn't need any other light. Hand in hand away from all the hustle and bustle of life just silently enjoying each others company. She could feel him tense up all of a sudden and asked what was wrong. He just said he was scared. She laughed as she shook her head , asking him after taking on Apocalypse, surviving a fight with Logan and founding a nation what more could he be scared of. And she turned to him to find him on his knee as he looked into her eyes and said a no would be pretty scary. Needless to say she cried and kissed and hugged him .

Everyone was so happy with the news. Hank had suggested they do it on the one year anniversary of the founding of Utopia a way of "tying the Royal Couple with their nation". Scott protested 4 months was too far but Hank used his powers of persuasion and she thought it would be romantic anyway. She was overwhelmed , not by the wedding, but by Kitty and Lorna, you would have thought they were getting married. If she heard one more high pitched squeal she swore to God that she would drain them both to unconsciousness.

And now, just a week away from their wedding and Utopia's birthday she say nervous as all hell in the bathroom. Those two little blue lines couldn't be right, could they?

This was her last clear thought before the explosion. Her hearing was shot and all she could hear was a high pitched whine as she ran towards where Scott was only to find a half destroyed bedroom and Scott confronting a team of marines, Ironman, and a seemingly screaming, claws out Wolverine.


End file.
